Focussing on Singaporean issues in this blog and/or to give my Singaporean perspective from outside Singapore.

Monday, 15 October 2012

Today at the advice charity

I had a Rwandan lady who has visited the charity countless times. She has been living here 18 years but still cannot speak very good English.

Basically she needed someone to read her letters. Credit must be given her for anticipating problems such as with her gas bills, etc. and having been in debt before she seems to have learned how to manage quite well.

Our charity aims to empower so I had to tell her she must learn to read English better. She cannot expect to come in with every letter she receives and expects someone to read and respond for her. At least this time she came with five questions, not just one.

Another lady for a East European country thought she was marrying a Pakistani young man for life -- just as his student visa was running out. Then he wanted to move to a bigger property, buy a car, buy a bigger car, etc.

Then she persuaded her to combine their loans to benefit from lower interest rates. Then he wanted to divorce her. She managed to get him to take responsibility for half the loan (which is still larger than her original loan). Now the young lady thinks he probably only married her for the visa.

This young lady has had a lucky escape as he signed the divorce papers before he disappeared from this country. I hope that she does not get saddled with his debts as well.

About Me

Daughter of butcher and 'housewife' in Singapore. A social anthropologist by training (NUS, then London-SOAS). A reluctant migrant in UK, married to English husband whose "mistress" is the City of London. Now a full-time mother who also runs an online eco-business.